Defining Functions
Function Definitions
The general form of a function definition:
def function_name(parameters):
body
def:a keyword indicating a function definition
function_name: the function name
parameters:
o the parameter(s) of the function, 0 or more and are separated by a
comma
o a parameter is a variable whose value will be supplied when the
function is called
body:
o 1 or more statements, often ending with a return statement
Example of a function definition:
def f(x):
return x ** 2
return statement
The general form of a return statement:
return expression
The rules for executing a return statement:
1. Evaluate the expression. This produces a memory address.
2. Pass back that memory address to the caller. Exit the function.
Function Calls
Function calls are expressions and the result can be stored in a variable.
The general form of a function call:
function_name(arguments)
The rules for executing a function call:
1. Evaluate the arguments to produce memory addresses.
2. Store those memory addresses in the corresponding parameters.
3. Execute the body of the function.
Example of a function definition and function calls:
>>> def area(base, height):
return base * height / 2
>>> area(3, 4)
6.0
>>> result = area(10, 7.45)
>>> result
37.25
Saving your programs to ".py" files
We usually save our Python programs in ".py" files. A file can contain multiple
function definitions and other statements. Before calling a function from a ".py" file
in the shell in IDLE, you need to first execute Run -> Run Module, or else the shell
will not recognize the function call.